


On the Distant Fingertip

by BlueYogurt



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Gen, One Shot, Other Characters Are Mentioned, a tiny bit of future connected is there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:14:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25868773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueYogurt/pseuds/BlueYogurt
Summary: "-Why sad face? What wrong?” Riki asks.“Well…” Shulk hesitates, “it’s hard-for me-to talk about this. I don’t know if I should…I don’t know if you would understand...”
Relationships: Riki & Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	On the Distant Fingertip

**Author's Note:**

> ...This is what happens when you can barely write stories but choose to write one anyway at 1 am nevertheless. Writing is hard and so I have gained greater respect for people who can plot out amazing stuff. 
> 
> I really liked that Heart-to-Heart between Shulk and Riki on the Distant Fingertip so I just wanted to write my own interpretation of the scene which sort of includes a mixture of dialogue from the game and also my own writing.
> 
> I was also motivated by the fact that this fandom needs more content.
> 
> Also, feel free to leave a comment...that would be really nice.

“Look, Shulk! Look!” Riki excitedly says as he skips towards the railing of the Distant Fingertip.

“Huh, Riki?” Shulk looks over to where Riki is going. “Sure, I’ll take a look,” Shulk says as he follows Riki to where he’s at, curious at what’s gotten him so eager. 

“Look! Hidden Village get really small!” Riki flies a short distance above the railing getting a better view at the tiny village beneath them. 

Shulk also peers down at Hidden Village. “Yeah, it does look small from here,” he looks in awe of the sheer vertical distance they covered between them and the village. Everything looked tiny from there, the Junks, the buildings. It was like that one time where he and Reyn saw Colony 9 on the way to the Ether Mines. It was a weird but interesting feeling he felt often on this journey, seeing things once huge up close seem miniscule from far away and vice-versa. 

Taking in the sight beneath them, Shulk says, “I can't believe we were down there not so long ago. What a view! We can see the Mechonis’s wrist and palm from here and the Bionis up there too!” 

“Amaaazing!” Riki exclaims, “Riki see Bionis so well from here! Riki maybe think can find Makna Forest! See part where Oka and littlepon are!”

“I think you’re right. Your family, they’re all up there, waiting for the day you come home. So after we defeat Egil…” Shulk trails on, his mood becoming downhearted.

His thoughts had turned to those of his own late parents. Other than being brought with them on the Monado Expedition, he didn’t really know much about them. After all, he was so young when they died that he couldn’t remember their appearance and what they were like. Even after they hopefully manage to prevent Egil from destroying Bionis, his parents, they wouldn’t be there at Colony 9 to wait for him...

“Shulk? Shulk there?” Riki looks worriedly at Shulk. “Shulk doing Hom Hom thinking?”

Shulk snapped out of his thoughts realizing that he pondered a bit too long on them. “Oh, uh, I mean, after we defeat Egil, all of us should be able to live in peace. You can get back to your family. I’m sure they’ll be really happy when you come home.” 

“Riki know family happy happy when get back but, Riki see Shulk’s face sad earlier! Why sad face? What wrong?” Riki asks.

Shulk didn’t realize that his face looked like that. Now, it seemed that Riki was worrying about him. 

Shulk looks down, not sure if he should talk about the topic of having dead family members. It was a common theme for a lot of people he knew. Fiora and Dunban, their mom died of an illness and father of a mechon attack. Reyn, the same went for his parents. Then, there was Sharla who still had a brother but lost her fiance and while she never talked about her parents, they were probably also dead. And Melia, well, he failed to prevent the death of her father. 

Out of everyone in the group, Riki had a wife and children, a whole family to get back to. Even when faced with the possibility of death with the ever increasing danger-which meant never coming back to his family ever-Riki didn’t show signs of giving up and instead kept encouraging them all with his spirit. It might be unfair of him to bring this up to Riki.

“Well…” Shulk hesitates, “it’s hard-for me-to talk about this. I don’t know if I should…I don’t know if you would understand...”

Riki nods his head up and down. “Riki understand everything but that alright! Can talk to uncle Riki later if want to! But, Shulk should trust Riki! Not keep hiding sad feeling inside! Keeping hiding sad feeling bad for soul!” 

Shulk thinks about Riki’s words for a bit. It wouldn’t hurt to talk about this with Riki, would it? It would mean Riki wouldn’t have to worry about him anymore as he probably shouldn’t have brought the whole family thing up in the first place.

“Ok. Here’s the thing.” Shulk finally decides to divulge, “I’ve been thinking about...my family. My parents died a long time ago. So, when I go home, there won't be anyone waiting…” Shulk stops, feeling quite awkward. He hoped he didn’t bring Riki’s mood too much with his thoughts. 

“That is big shame…RIKI SUDDEN REALIZE”-Shulk jumps a bit-”Riki have good idea!” Riki excitedly says. 

“What...is it Riki?” Shulk asks, spooked by Riki’s abrupt change in tone yet also puzzled about what Riki had in mind.

“Riki become Shulk’s daddypon! Then Shulk get new mamapon too! Live like happy family!” 

There was a pause. 

“...Wh-what was that. Riki?!” Of all the things-he did not see that one coming. Shulk was shocked, barely just processing the idea Riki was suggesting.

Riki happily continued on. “Shulk use big Hom Hom brain! Shulk can live with Riki and Oka! Know Oka happy to welcome Shulk! Will also introduce littlepon to Shulk! Riki especially have a littlepon like Shulk! Littlepon name is Kino! Think Shulk and Kino can get along well! Good plan? Shulk have lots of family waiting! Never get sad again!”

At the end of Riki’s plan, Shulk looked as if he had a dumbfounded expression on his face.

“Shulk not like Riki’s idea?” Riki says mistaking Shulk’s expression for discomfort. “Riki very, very sorry, Shulk. Riki only want to see Shulk happy. Not mean to make unhappy.” 

“No, it’s not that,” Shulk clarifies. He doesn’t want Riki to get the wrong idea because it wasn’t a bad plan at all. Instead, Shulk is...happy, really happy. He feels as if he’s about to tear up a bit. Riki was always full of surprises, wasn’t he? 

“What I mean is...thank you, Riki. Thank you so much,” Shulk says from the bottom of his heart, “No one's ever asked me to be a part of their family…”

“Shulk not worry anymore! Riki want to always see big Hom Hom smile from ear to ear! Then Shulk go show Melly and all friends smile to cheer them up!” Riki said with a happy smile once again flapping his wings. 

“Yeah!” Shulk responds. “Thanks for that Riki. You cheered me up! And well, about that, I wouldn’t mind if we really got to visit your family after all this. I think it would be really interesting!”

Riki nods his head quickly. “Of course. Can introduce Shulk as number-one bestest sidekick of Heropon Riki! Or can also introduce as new littlepon if Shulk really really like plan very much!”

“I’ll think about that,” Shulk said. He looks up at the sunset sky and then looks back. Getting to Mechonis shouldn’t take too much time. “Come on Riki, I think we should get back. Everyone else must be ready by now.” 

“Ok! Get back to friends now!” Riki skips on ahead heading back to the group. 

_ You’re a great friend Riki _ . Shulk thinks, with a soft smile on his face. 

**Author's Note:**

> Doing dialogue between characters is something that's hard for me to get used to but I hope it's good.


End file.
